Alyson Hannigan: Baby's 'The Best Thing That's Ever Happened to Me'

It’s unusual to celebrate your first day back at work after a summer vacation, but that’s just what the cast and crew of How I Met Your Mother did this week.

They had plenty to celebrate: In addition to Neil Patrick Harris’s third consecutive Emmy nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy, the CBS sitcom nabbed its first nomination in the best comedy category – and stars Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders became mothers over their summer breaks.

Opting for orange juice rather than a champagne toast while backstage her husband Alexis Denisof looked after 4-month-old Satyana, Hannigan told PEOPLE, “I’m so fortunate that she’s here. We set up a nursery, and daddy and baby are in nursery right now. So I can run off and get to see them when I have scenes off. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me! I’m so in love.”

The show’s Emmy nomination isn’t too shabby, either. “It’s so nice that it finally gets recognition,” she says. “Instead of being a little show, we’re finally like, ‘We’re in that club, we get to go to that party!’ ”

Hannigan says she’s narrowed her choice of gowns for the big night to two dresses. “This year, [my goal] is to make sure the boobs stay in. I have boobs now! They’re my new accessory,” she joked. “I want to make sure they stay in, and they stay dry.”

Harris’s Hosting Hitch

Costar Neil Patrick Harris, who is hosting the Emmys for the first time this year, has different things on his mind in preparing for the big night. CBS will air the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. ET

“I’ve thought about it an insane amount,” he says. “I know a lot of things that might happen, but nothing has been locked down.”

Harris says his hosting philosophy is to keep the show moving. “I’ve always been less enthusiastic [about] stand-ups [who] host, because they feel obliged to show how funny they are during the process,” he says. “I think it’s more about keeping things at a tight clip and making sure the audience at home is having a good time.”

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